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Already a big contributor to the region's economy, The Center for Discovery in Harris hopes to create more jobs with the development of a new Autism center.

Local projects to get millions from state

Story by Dan HustSULLIVAN COUNTY  Sullivan County will get a cut of the state’s $700 million economic development funds to be released in 2013.
Regional economic development councils  including one for the mid-Hudson  competed statewide for the funding pool, and winners were announced on Wednesday.
Local successful applicants include:
• The Center for Discovery in Harris, which will receive $2.5 million to launch a Regional Children’s Assessment Center for young people dealing with autism, severe developmental disabilities and complex medical conditions.
• The Village of Liberty, which will receive $600,000 to improve its sewer treatment plant.
• The Town of Liberty, which will receive $597,109 to replace 5,400 feet of asbestos-lined cement pipes with eight-inch iron pipes in the White Sulphur Springs Water District.
• The Town of Tusten, which will receive $106,400 to construct the Big Eddy Esplanade between the Delaware River and Main Street, Narrowsburg.
• The Royal T Ranch Corporation in Mountaindale, which will receive $50,000 to provide on-the-job training for six new workers in distillation, chemistry, biology, math, public speaking and customer interaction.
• The Town of Bethel, which will receive $24,000 to complete an engineering report assessing upgrades to the Kauneonga Lake Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Primas Green House of Sullivan and Orange Counties, which will receive $13,270 to train 120 unemployed workers in building analysis, envelope quality, residential building air leakage control, manufactured housing and multi-family housing analysis.
• The Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council itself, which will receive $195,000 to undertake a marketing initiative to advance their strategic plan and promote an “enticing” business environment.
• Sullivan and Orange counties, which together will receive $243,142 to complete the Pond Eddy Parking Access Study to finish planning and designing six access points to the Delaware River in the two counties.
Sullivan County Partnership for Economic Development CEO Allan Scott said the Center for Discovery project alone will bump up the Center’s employment to nearly 2,000.
“Eighty-two percent of their employees are Sullivan County residents,” Scott noted. “And the Center is committed to the same trend for many, many years to come.”
“This is fabulous positive news for Sullivan County’s economy,” said Legislature Chairman Scott Samuelson, who has a seat on the Mid-Hudson Regional Economic Development Council (usually represented by Planning Commissioner Luiz Aragon).
“This project will bring 350 jobs to Sullivan County in two phases,” he continued, “and I am very happy that the county’s largest employer will be in a position to expand their services and the number of job opportunities.”
Sullivan County Chamber of Commerce President Terri Ward also sits on the Council, which won the most money out of any council in the state  $93 million for 84 projects.
“This year’s process was definitely much easier and went much more smoothly,” she affirmed. “We’re just really happy to have won this year!”